Microsoft Teams is now one of the most popular collaboration, communication, and productivity platforms in the world – and for good reason. The all-in-one ecosystem is brimming with tools to assist employees in the office, as well as in the hybrid and remote work landscapes, from intuitive collaboration tools to generative AI and apps.
As this solution continues to take the world by storm, researchers have revealed (2019) just how significant the benefits of Teams can be to a company’s bottom line. The Forrester Total Impact report for Microsoft Teams, for instance, showed the platform can deliver an average ROI of 832%. However, the companies that benefit most from the platform are those that use the ecosystem to enable more efficient workflows, improve communication, and enhance collaboration.
With that in mind, bringing the contact centre into Microsoft Teams seems to make a lot of sense for those hoping to unlock the full impact of the platform. Here are just some of the core reasons why companies should consider embedding their contact centre into Microsoft Teams.
The Benefits of Bringing a Contact Centre into Teams
Companies can benefit in a number of ways by connecting their contact centre to the Microsoft Teams environment. With an all-in-one solution for both UCaaS and CCaaS, teams can reduce the need for employee training, allowing staff to utilise platforms they’re already familiar with regardless of whether they’re involved in internal or external conversations.
The flexible nature of the Teams environment, hosted in the cloud, also means companies have the freedom to scale their contact centre to suit their needs, rapidly configuring tools for new employees remotely when contact volumes spike. Plus, as the Teams landscape evolves with new features, like generative AI tools and intelligent analytics, businesses have the freedom to constantly upgrade and enhance their contact centre operations.
However, perhaps the three biggest benefits of bringing the contact centre into Microsoft Teams reflect three of the largest cost-saving opportunities identified by the Forrester Impact report:
1. Unlock an All-in-One Communication Environment
Forrester’s Total Impact study revealed that 26% of the cost savings companies can access from implementing Teams, come from the ability to improve communications. Already, Teams as a collaboration platform provides an opportunity to improve interactions between staff members, regardless of where employees are located, or which devices they’re using.
Teams can communicate across video, messaging, voice and more, and share information with employees wherever they are. However, when the contact centre and Microsoft Teams combine, the opportunities to improve communication are even further enhanced.
Companies can use Teams to communicate with customers in an omnichannel environment, serving them on the platforms they prefer, whether it’s video and voice, SMS, or chat. All the while the cost of paying for separate tools for internal and external communications is minimized.
2. Improve Workplace Collaboration
As customer expectations continue to evolve, agents are being placed under increased pressure to respond rapidly, and creatively to complex customer queries. The ability to collaborate with staff members, from subject matter experts to back-office employees in the sales, technology, and product development space, is becoming increasingly crucial.
Forrester found that improved collaboration enabled by Teams contributes to 58% of the total cost savings companies can access from the platform. Aligning Teams with the contact centre means employees have more opportunities to work cohesively with other staff members on intuitive strategies to improve customer service.
Not only does the improved collaboration within the workforce lead to better outcomes for customers, but it can also increase employee engagement and retention rates, and boost productivity too. Employees within Teams can work together seamlessly, without having to learn how to use different tools or switch between apps.
3. Boost Productivity and Efficiency
Forrester’s Total Impact Report also found 17% of the cost savings available to companies implementing Teams come from the ability to implement more efficient workflows. With a unified Teams platform, aligning all modes of communication into a single interface, employees can spend less time switching between apps, and accomplish more with access to a comprehensive flow of knowledge. They can access all of the tools they need to stay productive in one place.
With the right partner, companies can create a contact centre environment within Teams that synchronises all of the apps and tools team members use daily into a single pane of glass, from CRM software to analytical tools, and even AI bots.
Companies can also take advantage of the Power platform, to create automated workflows that reduce repetitive tasks for team members, enhance routing strategies, and reduce roadblocks in the customer service strategy.
Unlocking the Benefits of a Microsoft Teams Contact Centre
Aligning your CCaaS and UCaaS strategies with a Microsoft Teams contact centre has the potential to deliver significant, and measurable benefits, not just in terms of cost savings, but also when it comes to improved productivity, customer satisfaction scores, and efficiency.
However, generating the best ROI from a Microsoft Teams contact centre strategy starts with choosing the right partner to implement your solution.
Resonate, a leading Microsoft Teams partner, are a Partner of Excellence for Microsoft’s first Teams-accredited contact centre, Anywhere365, a certified Luware partner, and an expert in deploying essential Teams contact centre features, from automation to auto attendant routing and call recording.
Watch our Contact Centre webinar now to learn how you can unlock the full benefits of Microsoft Teams, by turning your collaboration platform into an all-in-one solution for communications.
